Car Donations Only Count
When the Charity's Official

Q: I am considering donating my car to my girlfriend's mother this year. Will I be able to write off the net worth of the car as charity when I file 2003 taxes? -- A.J.H., Metairie, La.

A: Absolutely not. You can deduct only gifts to charitable organizations. And even then, you can deduct them only if you itemize deductions, on Schedule A of Form 1040. About two-thirds of all taxpayers don't qualify to deduct gifts because instead of...